```
public interface SoGeneralPath
```
Manage a full path or a regular path.
see SoPath

Author:

Jean-Michel Godinaud

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`void`	`append(int childIndex)`	Adds node to end of chain.
`void`	`append(SoNode childNode)`	Adds node to end of chain.
`void`	`append(SoPath fromPath)`	Adds all nodes in fromPath's chain to end of chain.
`boolean`	`containsNode(SoNode node)`	Returns true if the node is found anywhere in the path chain.
`boolean`	`containsNode(java.lang.Class type)`	Returns true if the node type is found anywhere in the path chain.
`boolean`	`containsPath(SoPath path)`	Returns true if the nodes in the given path argument are contained (in consecutive order) in this path.
`SoPath`	`copy(int startFromNodeIndex)`	Creates and returns a new path that is a copy of some or all of this path.
`SoPath`	`copy(int startFromNodeIndex, int numNodes)`	Creates and returns a new path that is a copy of some or all of this path.
`int`	`findFork(SoPath path)`	If the two paths have different head nodes, this returns -1.
`SoNode`	`getHead()`	Return the first node in a path chain
`int`	`getIndex(int i)`	Return the index of the i'th node (within its parent) in the chain.
`int`	`getIndex(java.lang.Class type)`	Returns the index in the chain of the first node the given type from the head of chain.
`int`	`getIndexFromTail(int i)`	Return the index of the i'th node (within its parent) in the chain, counting backward from the tail node.
`int`	`getInstanceIndex(int i)`	Returns the index of the instance inside the parent SoMultipleInstance, SoMultipleCopy or SoArray group.
`int`	`getInstanceIndexFromTail(int i)`	Returns the index of the i'th node instance (within its parent, if it is a SoMultipleInstance, SoMultipleCopy or SoArray group in the chain, counting backward from the tail node.
`int`	`getLength()`	Returns length of path chain (number of nodes).
`SoNode`	`getNode(int i)`	Return the i'th node in the chain.
`SoNode`	`getNode(java.lang.Class type)`	Returns the first node from the head of the given type in the chain.
`SoNode`	`getNodeFromTail(int i)`	Return the i'th node in the chain, counting backward from the tail node.
`SoNode`	`getTail()`	Return the last node in a path chain
`void`	`pop()`	Pop the last node off.
`void`	`push(int childIndex)`	Push a node at the end of the chain.
`void`	`setHead(SoNode node)`	Sets head node (first node in chain).
`void`	`truncate(int start)`	Truncates the path chain, removing all nodes from index start on.

- Method Detail
  - setHead
```
void setHead(SoNode node)
```
    Sets head node (first node in chain). The head node must be set before the append() or push() methods may be called.
  - append
```
void append(int childIndex)
```
    Adds node to end of chain. The node is the childIndex'th child of the current tail node.
  - append
```
void append(SoNode childNode)
```
    Adds node to end of chain. Uses the first occurrence of childNode as child of current tail node. If the path is empty, this is equivalent to setHead(childNode).
  - append
```
void append(SoPath fromPath)
```
    Adds all nodes in fromPath's chain to end of chain. The head node of fromPath must be the same as or a child of the current tail node.
  - push
```
void push(int childIndex)
```
    Push a node at the end of the chain. Allows a path to be treated as a stack.
    
    See Also:
    
    pop()
  - pop
```
void pop()
```
    Pop the last node off. Allows a path to be treated as a stack.
    
    See Also:
    
    push(int)
  - getHead
```
SoNode getHead()
```
    Return the first node in a path chain
  - getTail
```
SoNode getTail()
```
    Return the last node in a path chain
  - getNode
```
SoNode getNode(int i)
```
    Return the i'th node in the chain. Calling getNode(0) is equivalent to calling getHead().
  - getNode
```
SoNode getNode(java.lang.Class type)
        throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
```
    Returns the first node from the head of the given type in the chain. null is returned if no node of the given type is found.
    
    Parameters:
    
    type - must be any class inherited from SoNode
    
    Throws:
    
    java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - when type is not a class inherited from SoNode
    
    See Also:
    
    getIndex(Class)
  - getIndex
```
int getIndex(java.lang.Class type)
      throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
```
    Returns the index in the chain of the first node the given type from the head of chain. -1 is returned if no node of the given type is found.
    
    Parameters:
    
    type - must be any class inherited from SoNode
    
    Throws:
    
    java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - when type is not a class inherited from SoNode
    
    See Also:
    
    getIndex(Class)
  - getIndex
```
int getIndex(int i)
```
    Return the index of the i'th node (within its parent) in the chain.
  - getNodeFromTail
```
SoNode getNodeFromTail(int i)
```
    Return the i'th node in the chain, counting backward from the tail node. Calling getNodeFromTail(0) is equivalent to calling getTail().
  - getIndexFromTail
```
int getIndexFromTail(int i)
```
    Return the index of the i'th node (within its parent) in the chain, counting backward from the tail node.
  - getLength
```
int getLength()
```
    Returns length of path chain (number of nodes).
  - truncate
```
void truncate(int start)
```
    Truncates the path chain, removing all nodes from index start on. Calling truncate(0) empties the path entirely.
  - containsNode
```
boolean containsNode(SoNode node)
```
    Returns true if the node is found anywhere in the path chain.
  - containsNode
```
boolean containsNode(java.lang.Class type)
              throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
```
    Returns true if the node type is found anywhere in the path chain.
    
    Parameters:
    
    type - must be any class inherited from SoNode
    
    Throws:
    
    java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
  - containsPath
```
boolean containsPath(SoPath path)
```
    Returns true if the nodes in the given path argument are contained (in consecutive order) in this path.
  - findFork
```
int findFork(SoPath path)
```
    If the two paths have different head nodes, this returns -1. Otherwise, it returns the path chain index of the last node (starting at the head) that is the same for both paths.
  - copy
```
SoPath copy(int startFromNodeIndex)
```
    Creates and returns a new path that is a copy of some or all of this path. Copying starts from the given index (0 is the head node) to the end.
    
    Returns:
    
    null on error.
  - copy
```
SoPath copy(int startFromNodeIndex,
            int numNodes)
```
    Creates and returns a new path that is a copy of some or all of this path. Copying starts at the given index (0 is the head node). A numNodes of 0 means copy all nodes from the starting index to the end.
    
    Returns:
    
    null on error.
  - getInstanceIndex
```
int getInstanceIndex(int i)
```
    Returns the index of the instance inside the parent SoMultipleInstance, SoMultipleCopy or SoArray group. The returned value is -1 for other parent nodes.
  - getInstanceIndexFromTail
```
int getInstanceIndexFromTail(int i)
```
    Returns the index of the i'th node instance (within its parent, if it is a SoMultipleInstance, SoMultipleCopy or SoArray group in the chain, counting backward from the tail node. Passing 0 for i returns the instance index of the tail node.

Interface SoGeneralPath

Method Summary

Method Detail

setHead

append

append

append

push

pop

getHead

getTail

getNode

getNode

getIndex

getIndex

getNodeFromTail

getIndexFromTail

getLength

truncate

containsNode

containsNode

containsPath

findFork

copy

copy

getInstanceIndex

getInstanceIndexFromTail